Ocean Avenue's Angel
by clairiana
Summary: Roxas and Namine became friends at five. Then they are separated. But, with all of these hectic things going on, will Roxas care when the most important thing in his life returns?
1. Swing, Swing

Five-year-old Roxas dragged his feet along the ground, sighing. There was never anyone there to swing with him, except Sora, but he was too slow. Nobody used this park anymore anyway except Roxas, but now he was starting to get a bit bored with it anyway.

He swatted a bee away from his ear absentmindedly. He would have to go home soon anyway for dinner.

He gasped.

About a hundred yards away from him was a little girl about his age. She was wearing a pure white dress and blue flip-flops. Her blonde hair was in a plait over one of her shoulders.

"She must be an angel," Roxas whispered. Being a little boy, that was the type of thing he thought.

The little girl was looking at the ground, apparently in some type of sadness. Roxas began to swing again.

The girl approached him slowly.

"Hi," Roxas said.

"Hi," the little girl murmured, turning her gaze back to the ground.

She was a calm girl, Roxas concluded.

"Can I swing with you?" she asked. Roxas's face lit up.

He held the swing out to her with a flourish. She sat, although reluctantly.

"Do you live here?" Roxas asked.

"Yes. I live over there," she said, pointing a tiny finger over to Roxas's street. "I just moved in."

"I live over there too," Roxas smiled. "I've always lived here."

They sat for a little while. Roxas couldn't think of what to say.

"What's your name?" he asked. He had to know.

"My name is Naminè."

"That's a pretty name."

"What's your name?"

"Roxas. Roxas Alden."

Naminè smiled slightly.

"Well, I have to go home now," she said, lifting her petite frame from the swing.

"Naminè?"

She turned back to him.

"Yes?"

"Wanna be friends?"

She smiled shyly.

"Okay," she agreed.

Roxas watched her and made sure she got home okay. Then he ate the sandwich he had packed and started the walk home himself.

"Mommy!" he called. She came into the foyer.

"Yes?" she asked tiredly.

"I made a friend! Her name is Naminè, and she's an angel!"

Sora stood in the doorway.

"You met an angel?" he asked excitedly. Roxas nodded.

"Where does your friend live?" his mother asked.

"Across the street!"

"I'm glad you made a friend."

"A friend who's an angel…"

His mother smiled.

"Naminè is her name?"

"Yes."

"That IS a name fit for an angel."

Roxas stood in Naminè's driveway.

"Should I knock on the door?" he asked.

He gulped and nodded.

The glass door had a rose imprinted into the center. Roxas knocked on it.

A tired looking woman opened the door. She had a little girl clinging to her skirt and she was carrying a baby.

"Yes?"

"Does Naminè live here?"

"Hang on a moment."

She shut the door.

Roxas could hear, to his shock, muffled yells inside. He heard, just briefly, the engaging voice of Naminè.

"Please, please, can't I go?"

He heard a male voice, but it sounded too distant to understand.

Then Naminè's again.

"Okay."

Roxas heard footsteps and quickly lifted his ear from the door just as she opened it.

"Hi, Roxas."

"Hi."

They stood in silence for a moment, but then Roxas broke the ice.

"Wanna come over to my house?"

"Okay."

They walked across the street hand in hand, because that's what little kids do, they hold hands. Naminè looked a bit shy about it at first, but she gripped it tightly. Roxas saw her look over her shoulder more than once, but made no comment.

They opened the door to reveal Roxas's beaming mother. She grinned when she saw Naminè.

"Oh, hi, Naminè," she said happily.

"You know who I am?" Naminè asked in apparent disbelief.

Mrs. Alden nodded.

"Roxas told me about you yesterday," she explained, her grin widening with each word she said. Naminè looked at Roxas.

"You did?" she asked, seeming shocked that he had done this.

"I did." Roxas smiled.

"Mm-hm. Now please come in. You look hungry."

Of course, Naminè and Roxas didn't really look hungry, but Mrs. Alden wanted a better look at them. They were so cute, the two little blond munchkins.

Naminè followed Roxas nervously over the threshold. Mrs. Alden handed Roxas a platter of crudités. Roxas didn't eat any. He didn't even know what they were made of.

"Mom, can I show Naminè my new pet?"

"Yes, but make sure she doesn't run away, Roxas," Mrs. Alden said, watching the two kids with admiration.

Roxas nodded and gestured toward the staircase. Naminè politely took off her shoes, but Roxas didn't really mind either way.

"She's a gerbil," Roxas explained as they headed up the marble steps. Naminè nodded, her mind apparently on something else.

As Naminè held the tiny animal, Roxas explained her origins.

"I got her yesterday. She's cute, isn't she?"

Naminè nodded.

"What's her name?" she asked, stroking the gerbil avidly.

Roxas shrugged. Then it came to him, all of a sudden.

"Naminè," he said. It fit, definitely.

"Yes?"

"That's her name. Naminè."

Naminè blushed, the red creeping up her cheeks like overgrown vines.

"After me?" she asked, her breath catching.

"Yeah. You're an angel."

The two looked at each other, and in that beautiful instant, a bond was formed.

A strong bond that would be complicated sometime in the future, but would not ever break.

For a while.

---------------


	2. GONE

---------------

Roxas knocked on Naminè's door every day after that. She wouldn't always be there, but when she was the two always hung out together. Naminè and Roxas started school in the fall.

They were in the same class and always ate lunch together. In a way they were inseperable.

They were basically best friends from there on out. Now they are seven (all except for Hayner, who was eight).

One day the two were sitting on the swing with their friends, Hayner and Olette. Of course they all weren't on the same swing, what are you, stupid?

Hayner was tall for an eight year old. His sandy hair was slicked back with an occasional spike here and there. His eyes were hazel.

Olette was pale and average sized. Her auburn hair hung in disheveled braids over her shoulders.

They were all in the same class, and strangely, all lived in the same neighborhood. It was truly a storybook friendship between them all.

"So when are we going to the park?" Olette asked. Hayner shrugged.

"Whenever Roxas says," he said.

Roxas nodded. He hadn't wanted to go to the park because of his headache earlier.

"We can go now."

Naminè laughed.

"You didn't want to go all weekend."

"I changed my mind."

They got up from the swings and went to Roxas's house. Mrs. Alden was always happy to see them. It was actually a little weird.

"Roxas, Naminè, Hayner, Olette," she smiled at each of them as she said their names. Naminè was sort of like the daughter she had never had; Mr. Alden had passed away when her sons

were toddlers.

The four kids watched television for a while, but apparently they were bored so they decided to make sandwiches.

"Naminè, want mustard?" Olette asked, putting the bread on her foot-long sub. For a seven year old girl, she had a pretty big appetite.

"No, thanks, I never really liked it."

They sat for a little bit, then—

"I think we should go now, Hayner," Olette said. Hayner looked like he was going to argue, but he listened anyway. They said their hasty goodbyes and were gone.

"Roxas?" Naminè said after an hour of watching television.

"Yeah?"

"Can I talk to you?"

"Yeah, sure. About what?"

"Well Roxas…"

"It's okay, Nami. You can tell me anything. I'm your best friend!"

Naminè looked at the floor.

"Well…"

"Is it sad?"

She looked at him worriedly and nodded.

"I've wanted to tell you for a while now…"

Roxas waited with bated breath. What was she going to say? It was too much to wait for...

"I'm moving. Tomorrow."

Roxas's heart dropped. His best friend was…

"To where?"

She bit her lip.

"Traverse Town. My mom says she needs to clear her head or something like that. My dad's staying here."

Roxas felt very sad. Besides Hayner and Olette, Naminè was his only friend.

"How far is that from here?" he asked.

"About five hours from here…" she looked down and tears dropped on the chair she was sitting in.

Roxas probably wouldn't be able to visit her.

"Are you ever going to come back here to Twilight Town?"

Naminè looked to be on the verge of tears.

"Probably not, Roxas. I won't see you for… a long time…"

"Naminè… I'll miss you. A lot."

"I'll miss you a lot too, Roxas. You're my best friend."

The next day was very painful for both Roxas and Naminè. When he woke up the next morning, he heard voices outside his window.

"Put that box in the trunk, Naminè."

He looked down into the street to see the tiny figure of Naminè putting things into her car.

Without thinking, Roxas threw on his clothes and bolted down the stairs and through the door.

"Naminè!" he yelled.

She turned around, holding a suitcase and looking forlorn. It made Roxas's stomach hurt to see his best friend so sad.

"Roxas!"

Naminè dropped the suitcase, ran, and threw herself into Roxas's arms. He put his head on top of hers.

Then he just had to say what was on his mind.

"You can't go, Naminè. I won't let you!"

She began to sob.

"I have to! I'll miss you, but I have to!"

These words were like a punch in the heart.

"I'll miss you too. You have my phone number, right?"

She looked at him with her tear-stilled sapphire eyes.

"Yes."

"I have yours too."

"I'll call you every day."

She nodded.

"Same here."

The two friends seemed suspended in this position. Roxas knew he'd probably never see Naminè again, and Naminè felt really guilty about leaving.

"Roxas?"

He looked at her.

"Yeah?"

"Promise you won't forget me... okay?" she held out her pinky.

How could he ever? Naminè was his best friend.

"I promise." He linked them.

"You swear?"

"I swear."

They broke apart at last, but anyone skilled in people knew that they wanted to hug again.

Naminè picked up her suitcase.

"This is it," she said, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Yeah." Roxas was crying too.

She put the suitcase into the back seat as her mother got in.

"And Roxas?" she said as she got in.

"Hmm?"

"You'll always be my best friend."

And with that, she shut the door.

Roxas watched the car. Naminè was looking at him through the back windshield, crying as they got further away. It was like there was a lump in his throat that would be stuck there for the rest of his life.

Then she was... gone.

------


	3. Twelve Years Later

---

Seventeen year old Roxas Alden sat on the curb with his friends, licking his ice cream.

Hayner, Pence and Olette had always been his best friends. They were four of a kind, how little sense that made.

Hayner was Ocean Avenue's rebel. He had, to date, spray painted forty-seven signs, egged seventeen houses, and ding-dong-ditched eleven. Nobody really cared how much Hayner got in trouble; his dad was the principal of the school.

Olette was the intellectual of the group. She always made sure everyone finished their homework, no matter how much they wanted to have fun. But she wasn't a party-pooper; she could be crazy with the rest of them when she wanted.

Pence liked to take pictures, and was pretty good at it too. He liked to take snapshots of some pretty weird things, like bugs for instance, but he didn't really care about what other people said about him. The rest of the gang looked up to Pence for this reason.

Roxas was kind of an enigma to the rest of them. He always seemed to look at the ground, and he looked forlorn when he wasn't. The gang couldn't figure it out. He had everything, but he was still so miserable.

Today Olette had been hounding them about a project they had to finish because school was the next day. They didn't really care, but she insisted they get a good grade.

"You guys, it's already four o'clock. If we don't start soon, we'll never get finished before at least midnight," she said, and Hayner sighed.

"Olette. It's a little extra credit project. Who cares. We don't NEED to do it," he argued.

Roxas threw his Popsicle stick in the sewer.

"Well Olette," he began, "Hayner's got a poi—"

"Oh, so you're taking sides with him? Roxas, we need good grades!" she exclaimed. "And don't litter again."

Roxas rolled his eyes. He was so sick and tired of having this argument.

"Olette, if you're so hyped up about extra credit, do it yourself," he said.

Before she could reply, Pence's cell phone wrang.

"Hello? Nothing, just chillin' like a berry fillin'," he answered. Everyone rolled their eyes at his nerdy statement.

"Oh, she is? Okay, I'll tell Roxas."

He snapped his phone shut.

"Roxas, Amber's coming," he said.

Hayner did a wolf whistle as Roxas picked up his skateboard.

"Shut up. When's she gonna be here?" Roxas asked absentmindedly, just to get Hayner off the subject.

"In about thirty seconds," Olette replied, pointing up the road.

Heading their way was a giant bright pink limo. The diamond studs on the windshield read "A".

Roxas put his skateboard over his shoulder. The limo slowed to a stop and a door opened.

In front of Roxas stood a tall, curvy teenage girl. Her feathery pink outfit matched that of her Chihuahua. The girl in question had tan skin that complemented the violent shade of fuchsia that she was wearing. She had a sculptured face and perfect features. Her eyes were of brownish-yellow color, and her black hair fell in tight ringlets over her shoulders.

"Roxie! She exclaimed, dropping the shopping bag that she had been holding and running to Roxas. They kissed and the Chihuahua growled.

"Hey, Amber," Roxas said, and finished the hello by patting the Chihuahua on the head. "Alicia."

Amber laughed and headed back to the limo. But first she turned to Roxas's friends.

"Ciao!" she said with a wave, and slid into the back seat.

Roxas got in too and shut the door behind them.

"You excited about school tomorrow?" Amber asked. Roxas shook his head.

"Nah. My friend Olette's freaking out over some retarded extra credit that I don't really need anyway," he said, sipping a soda that had been conveniently placed on a nearby table.

"What a nerd. Anyway, where do you want to go?"

"How about we go bowling?"

"Ugh, no way! How about the mall?"

"Whatever works for you, Amb."

She sipped her Evian and told the driver that they were going to the mall.

As he stood in the parking lot, Roxas watch Amber argue with somebody on the phone. Even when she was angry, she was beautiful. After the phone fight ended, they went in.

"Okay, Roxas. First we're going to Hollister, then American Eagle, then Aeropostale, then Pac-Sun, okay?"

Roxas just nodded.

He and Amber went to pretty much every store in the mall (except for Hot Topic, Spencer's and Lady Foot Locker). She would always buy things for Roxas that he would probably never wear anyway, but she insisted on doing it. It was hard, really, having to carry mountains of stuff. By the time they had gotten back to the limo, Roxas was panting.

"Wow, Roxas. I think we should come back tomorrow," she said.

Roxas sighed.

This year they were starting senior year. Roxas felt a little sad about this being his last year in high school, but still. College was going to be awesome. He could go to parties, work part time and have fun with Amber.

She dropped him off at home with a kiss then sped off down the street.

"I don't like her."

Roxas turned around to see Hayner and Pence.

"Oh, hey guys."

"You're wasting your time. She's a spoiled brat."

"Hayner, you don't know her."

"Yeah, but I know enough about people to tell you: she's rotten."

"Sure." Roxas mounted his skateboard.

"I'm not kidding, man."

"Whatever."

As soon as he got home, Roxas was greeted by Sora an his new girlfriend Kairi.

"Hey, Rox," Sora said with a wave.

"Hi, Roxas," Kairi said.

Roxas nodded to them. He needed to get the clothes that Amber had gotten him upstairs.

After feeding his gerbil, Roxas plopped down on his bed and started to watch TV.

About an hour later, Roxas got a little sick of TV and drifted off to sleep.

---


	4. Beach Bliss

_New story.__ This is a Kingdom Hearts Fanfic, so… there. Anyway, I hope you like it.__ The thought just came to me without warning, and I had to put it down on FanFiction. Well, without further ado, I will start the story._

_----_

_Lig__hts go out and I can't be saved_

_Tid__es that I tried to swim against_

_Y__ou've put me down upon my knees_

_Oh __I beg, I beg and plead _

_Come out of things __unsaid;__ sh__oot an apple of my head _

_Trouble that can't be named, tigers__ waiting to be tamed _

_You are _

_You__ are_

_Confusion never stops, closing w__alls and ticking clocks__Come back and take you home, I could not stop, that you now know __Come out upon my seas, curse missed opportunities __A part of the cure, or am I part of the __disease __You are _

_You are_

_You are_

_You are_

_You ARE_

_And nothing else compares_

_Oh no nothing else compares,_

_And nothing else compares_

_Yo__u are _

_Home, home, where I wanted to go_

_Home, home, where I wanted to go_

_Home, home, where I wanted to go_

_Home, home, where I wanted to go_

♥ ♥ ♥ ♥

"Darn it, Pence! Stop being a pig and give me the coupons! Me and Roxas are hungry too, you know!"

It was Saturday afternoon in Twilight Town, so naturally Roxas and the gang were taking a walk to Sheetz to get some made-to-order delicacies. However, Roxas's husky friend Pence was hogging the coupons for himself, much to Hayner's chagrin.

"I saw them first!" the angry blond boy exclaimed, swiping at the brunette. But Pence put the coupons in his shirt, causing Hayner to draw back with a wary look on his face.

"What'd you mean, saw them first? Roxas gave us all four and you stole mine!" Hayner snapped back, looking at Roxas expectantly. The spiky-haired Nobody pulled some of the cherished coupons out of his pocket and brandished them; secretly thinking that he wouldn't want those coupons back after Pence had them down his shirt.

"I have more," he improvised, but Hayner wouldn't budge. He was just too adamant for his own good… and Olette wasn't here to calm him down.

"I want the ones Pence stole," he said, "Or we're not going."

Roxas raised an eyebrow. Did Hayner really think that Pence keeping him from a few insignificant coupons was going to keep Roxas away from those delicious made-to-order chili dogs?

Nun-uh, no way in heck he was going to let that happen.

"Hayner, we're going whether Pence gives you back your precious coupons or not," he said simply, leaning over to tie the shoelace that Hayner had just stepped on and unraveled. Hayner scoffed and continued walking without an apology.

Roxas rolled his eyes and followed his rebellious companion, as Pence brought up the rear.

The group's final member Olette, who would usually be somewhere between Hayner and Pence, was on a plane home from the Destiny Islands, so the order of the motley crew was somewhat jumbled about. And, Roxas had to admit, they were not making much headway in their homework without Olette.

When she got back, it was obviously going to be Roxas who would have to hand over to her the big stack of papers, and it was also obvious that Hayner's name was going to be at the top of most, if not all of them.

After about five more blocks of walking and five more blocks of useless chatter, the three teenage males reached the coffee shop. Pence, as always was the first one to go inside, which surprised nobody.

Roxas and Hayner entered a few minutes afterward, clutching their coupons and looking for their photographer friend. Roxas's instinct's about Pence proved true, as they found him sucking up chocolate samples like a vacuum at the front of the store.

"Pence," Roxas said discreetly as he took the chocolate from his friend. "The sign says you're only supposed to take one."

"Sure are," stated a sticky faced Hayner thickly; his mouth was full of the sweet candy. Maybe he'd broken the rule a bit too…

_Hypocrite, _thought Roxas.

He then strode to the front and to the LCD screen. He selected his precious chili dog and took his order token from the small black box that spit it out. After a quick check on Hayner and Pence which assured him that they were still wolfing down chocolate, he gave his coupon to the nice lady at the counter and received his food.

"C'mon, guys," he said as he passed them. Hayner straightened up, and Roxas saw that he looked somewhat frightened, but somewhat curious at the same time. "What's up with you?"

He stretched a chocolate layered index finger over in the direction of the next aisle. Roxas, who was shorter than he, stood on tiptoes. He was pointing at a very pale, somewhat ghostly looking blonde girl in a white sundress who was poring over some magazines.

"That's the girl from chem. class," he concluded, then turned back to his friend. "What's wrong?"

Hayner shrugged and looked at Pence, who was STILL eating the chocolate.

"She just kind of freaks me out and all," he explained, "because she never blinks and she doesn't really talk… at all."

Roxas laughed at Hayner's insecurity. Why was he making a big deal out of this girl? She was probably just shy… and maybe it was something she couldn't help that she didn't talk.

"Hayner, I'm sure she's a nice person," he assured him, putting the multiple food items into a bag.

"No. She's weird and you know it," Hayner insisted, sneaking another glance back at the girl.

Roxas chuckled and left the Sheetz through the front. The brunette was already waiting for him, and the both of them were faced with the impossible task of getting Hayner out of there. After Roxas bribed him with fifty dollars in cash the blonde gave up on proving that the pale girl was weird the blonde boy followed his friends.

"I'm just saying, she's utterly bizarre," Hayner said, and Roxas groaned.

"Hayner, shut up already. I'm sick of hearing about the girl at Sheetz, she's no big deal. And she's in our class, so I would think that you would be used to her by now," Roxas said in one breath as they turned round the corner onto Caster Avenue. He lived on this street, and he wanted to shut Hayner up soon because his mom got mad when there was a lot of talking in her perfect, orderly designer home.

He opened the front door with his key to the immaculate house. Everything was perfectly put in its respective place. He carefully instructed Pence and Hayner of the usual routine, take of your shoes and put them in his room. They did, and then they got on the computer to surf music sites. Hayner wanted to listen to rap, Pence free form jazz, and Roxas of course wanted rock. The three boys were fighting over the mouse by the time Roxas's mother got in.

"Roxas, what did I tell you about bringing your friends in before I got home?" she asked strictly, pushing her son out of his rolly-chair. He fell and would up with his face inhaling the scent of peach-flavored carpet shampoo.

"We were just hanging out," Roxas insisted, and the older woman shook her head. He knew it he was pushing his already far-outstretched luck, and his big blue puppy dog eyes did not work on his mother.

"Roxas, I'm having a business meeting in the sitting room at five thirty," she said flatly, straightening the leaves on a plastic fern. "So take Hayner, Pence and your cookies and get out of the house."

_Yes! She made cookies!_

"Yes ma'am," he said. "C'mon guys. We've gotta go get Olette anyway."

The three friends spent a little more time on Roxas's block, then left when Hayner stole a bottle of soda from a little girl and Roxas screamed, "Run!" at the top of his lungs when the little girl's grandmother started chasing them with her big and painful looking wooden cane.

They arrived at Twilight Airlines, where Olette was among the first passengers off the plane. She was carrying a box with holes in it. When she approached the guys and gave them hugs, Roxas looked at her and the box and asked for an explanation.

She opened the box, and a tiny brown furry something a jumped and tackled him. When he opened his now moist eyelids, Roxas saw a brown, green eyed puppy looking at him.

Suddenly is seemed to rise into the air, and Roxas realized that Olette had pulled it off of him.

"Her name is Coco," she explained as the puppy attempted to get back at Roxas. Maybe it liked him so much because he still smelled so much of cookies. Hmm.

"Hey Olette," Roxas asked as soon as he had gotten up off the ground, "How exactly do you plan to feed this thing, since your mom swore to never again back you for your own expenses?"

Olette smiled and whispered something in his ear.

"Manipulate Hayner out of the money," she whispered, meriting a laugh from her blonde haired friend. Hayner and Pence were getting their picture taken nearby. "Let's all hang out at my house tonight. My sister's having a friend over anyway, so…"

Roxas nodded.

"Yeah, we'll all hang out over there. My mom kicked me out of the house anyway today, so that's the plan," he agreed, and the two took Coco over to Hayner to show him.

"It even kind of looks like Olette," Roxas was saying, and Hayner looked confused.

"Olette's not brown," he said, looking quizzical now.

Olette slapped a hand to her forehead. He was so hopeless.

"Well anyway," she said to get them all off the subject, "We're all going to my house."

They nodded, but Hayner was still fixated on Coco.

They arrived at Olette's house, which was clean but not insanely immaculate like Roxas's. Her sister Kairi wasn't there at the moment, so things were relatively quiet… for the _moment_.

"Well," said Olette as they all dumped their backpacks on a green plaid loveseat, "What are we gonna do now?"

"We can surf the internet," Roxas suggested, but Olette shook her head solemnly and explained why she had to deny his request.

"My mom's blocked IM, MySpace, Google, Yahoo, Windows Live—"

"God Olette, what hasn't she blocked?"

"Funbrain."

"Gah."

The four sat around like idiots for the next few hours after that. They watched TV, ate chips and popcorn, and then ran around the house like idiots sheerly because they could. Olette got out the whipped cream and they had a whipped cream fight—well, tried to because Pence wouldn't give up the whipped cream. It was like being children again.

But it all ended when Kairi got home.

Olette's sister Kairi was a year their senior and a lifetime their annoyance. She was always bragging about anything she could think of, whether it be her hair, her nails or how poppin' her lip gloss was. Olette would always yell about how annoying Kairi was, and Kairi would yell about how immature Olette was. It was fun for the guests to watch, Roxas had to admit, and at this point Olette wouldn't need cable anymore.

"Hi losers," she said mistily as she passed them on her way up the stairs. Someone else came in the door after her, and when they passed over the threshold, Hayner gasped and turned to Roxas.

"Roxas! It's the freak from chem.!" He exclaimed, and Roxas and Pence groaned. Olette seemed puzzled about it, though.

"Why are you calling her a freak?" she ask, her gaze shifting from one to the other.

"We saw her in Sheetz today," Roxas explained, "And Hayner freaked out because she's a little nonresponsive."

Olette put her hands on her hips and snatched the whipped cream out of Pence's hands.

"You guys! She's not a freak! She's my friend and her name is Namine!" she exclaimed. Something panged inside Roxas. His mind suddenly opened up on something, and a melody played itself along in his head. It was that of a piano, and it was very beautiful.

---

Something panged inside Roxas. A moment after this had hit his system, he wondered why. He had never talked to Namine, acknowledged her, or anything of that nature. Why was he feeling so weird at the mention of her name?

Namine.

Weird.

"You guys wanna order a pizza?" Roxas said to get his mind off things. Olette shrugged and Pence nodded fervently. Hayner had gone to the bathroom, and Roxas figured that he wouldn't exactly care. He picked up his cell phone and dialed the number for Brother's Pizza.

He ordered seven pizzas, just in case Kairi or… Namine got hungry later. As soon as he had hung up the phone, Hayner came running into the room with a frantic look on his face.

"Gah! I went to the bathroom, and I turn the corner into the hallway and creepy girl is standing right there!!!" he exclaimed, and plopped down on the sofa. "I swear, I'm only alive because I have holy water in my pocket."

Olette raised an eyebrow.

"Why in Sam Hill would you have holy water in your pocket?" she asked as she threw her socks into the dirty clothes hamper.

"My mom makes me," Hayner replied a little too quickly, and Roxas laughed.

Soon afterward, the pizza came. Hayner wolfed down the first three, leaving four more. Roxas took two pieces, since he'd already had lots of yummy cookies, and Olette had one. Roxas figured he would deliver the pizzas to Kairi; he was the only one of the three of them that she didn't hate.

He started down the hall, being careful not to make noise. He set the pizza's down in front of Kairi's door and started off down the hall. But he heard the door open.

There stood Namine, looking innocent and curious in Kairi's doorway. He couldn't help but notice her ocean eyes, and they seemed to pierce his.

"You left your pizzas?" she said in a soft, feathery voice. Roxas concluded there was something not right with this girl.

"No, those are for you and Kairi," he explained, then turned back around again.

"Thank you, Roxas."

He turned back to see the girl, but she was gone, as were the pizzas. She was... mysterious. And she had something of a childlike quality. Hm.

Suddenly he heard the piano melody yet again. It was softer this time, but very pronounced.

Then it stopped.

No! He didn't want it to go… it was so pretty.

But he had to get back to Hayner and Olette now.

-

…

It was three in the morning that Roxas woke, and heard Hayner snoring beside him. He had woken because he had a strong urge to go to the bathroom. He got up from the air mattress and started, then went down the hall to the bathroom.

When he washed his hands, he thought he heard… that melody. The sweet serenade. He left the bathroom, and it became stronger.

Roxas walked around until he realized that it was coming from the piano room. He passed Olette's statue of a giant ostrich and peeked round the corner.

Sitting on the weathered old chair was Namine, facing the keys. The melody felt strong.

Suddenly it stopped.

Then, Roxas saw Namine's pale fingers grace the old keys. She pressed them in that order, and Roxas heard the melody. She was playing it.

He stepped over the threshold into the room; Namine did not notice he was there. She just kept on playing the piano in that magical way she did, and Roxas suddenly felt an unrepressable urge to sit beside her at the piano. But he didn't, or she would probably stop playing.

Suddenly a beautiful voice filled the piano room, and Roxas realized that Namine had started singing. He listened close and heard the words.

_Lights go out and I can't be saved_

_Tides that I tried to swim against_

_You've put me down upon my knees_

_Oh I beg, I beg and plead _

_Come out of things unsaid; shoot an apple of my head _

_Trouble that can't be named, tigers waiting to be tamed _

_You are _

_ You are_

_Confusion never stops, closing walls and ticking clocks__Come back and take you home, I could not stop, that you now know __Come out upon my seas, curse missed opportunities __A part of the cure, or am I part of the disease __You are _

_You are_

_You are_

_You are_

_You ARE_

_And nothing else compares_

_Oh no nothing else compares,_

_And nothing else compares_

_You are _

_Home, home, where I wanted to go_

_Home, home, where I wanted to go_

_Home, home, where I wanted to go_

_Home, home, where I wanted to go_

Finally, Namine finished the song, and started to play it again. And again.

And Roxas stood there all night, listening…

---


	5. McDonald's and the Carnival

----

It was a girl.

She had on a white lace top and skinny jeans. Her skin was very pale and angelic, and her hair was the color of wheat. Her eyes were like mirrors.

There was no mistaking her.

It was Naminè.

She was on the ground at Roxas's feet, looking like she was in some kind of pain. Roxas knelt next to his old friend.

"Naminè!" he said happily. It was like a dream.

Naminè appeared not to recognize him at first. But then realization dawned on her pale face.

"Roxas!" Naminè exclaimed. "Oh m-my gosh! I missed you!"

"I missed you too. How have you been?"

"I'm better now. Oh Roxas, it's great to see you."

"Same here. Hey, want to go outside during free period?"

"Sure. Aren't you supposed to study during free period?"

"Yeah, but nobody ever does."

She giggled at that part.

"So how's your mom?" Naminè asked, tucking her hair behind her ear.

"She's fine."

"And Sora?"

"Same as always."

She had gotten so hot…

STOP IT ROXAS! EVIL THOUGHTS! YOU HAVE A GIRLFRIEND

"You look good," he managed to say, and to his relief she grinned.

"Thanks. So do you," she replied.

Then the bell.

"So—meet me here sixth period?" he said.

"'Kay," she said, and then left.

Roxas was so happy. He had seen Naminè again! Wait until he told Hayner, Pence and Olette…

But then he remembered that they weren't speaking to him.

Maybe the fact that he had seen Naminè would make them less hostile.

Olette was in his History class, which was where he was headed. He was going to tell her then.

He caught up to her in the hallway and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Olette?"

"What do you want, Roxas?"

"Naminè's back."

Her jaw dropped.

"Naminè Lavender?"

"The one and only."

"Oh my gosh. Please tell me you're going to dump Amber for Naminè!"

Roxas turned a vivid shade of red.

"Naminè's my best friend. Nothing else."

"Darn it! Well, see you later Roxas."

She went into the classroom. Roxas followed suit.

All through class, Roxas anticipated his free period with Naminè.

Finally, after much waiting, Roxas could finally leave class. Naminè was already by the lunch line waiting for him.

"Hey," said Roxas. Naminè smiled.

"Let's go."

They walked down the hallway, and it reminded Roxas of the day they ad walked across the street. But sadly they weren't holding hands this time.

The sun was shining brightly today. Roxas thanked the heavens it wasn't cloudy; he wanted today to be perfect in every way.

"It's funny," she said. I'm not sure where to begin."

"How about… how come you never called me?" Roxas said sadly.

Naminè looked guilty.

"I'm sorry Roxas. The day I moved my mom told me not to call you because your mom would be annoyed if I called every day."

"What?"

"I'm sorry…"

"Where are you living?"

She grinned.

"I moved into my old house on Ocean Avenue."

Roxas lit up.

"Seriously?"

"Yeah."

Roxas looked at his watch. They had fifteen minutes left.

"Naminè?"

She looked at him with her mirror-like eyes, and his heart melted.

"Yes?"

"I've missed you. More than you know."

She punched him in the shoulder.

"Don't be stupid. I know you missed me!"

He laughed. Guess he should've never went there, huh?

"Either way," Naminè said, "We missed each other. But now… we can be together again!"

Roxas nodded with a small smile. "Right."

She got up.

"Hey Roxas," she said with a wild look in her eyes, "How about we cut class and go to the beach?"

Roxas looked up.

"Really?" he said.

"Sure! Let's go!"

She took off her shoes and swung them at Roxas.

"Wha—"

"I'm not carrying my own shoes!"

"Fine!"

He took off his shoes and threw them at her.

"There you go, Nami! You can carry mine!"

"You're awful, Roxas! Let's go!"

She grabbed his wrist and ran. They were barefoot on the pavement. But he didn't care. This was one of those moments you never forgot.

Naminè was yelling and laughing the entire time and Roxas felt like a runaway who was finally coming home.

She jumped and they landed on the soft sand. She was still laughing.

"You okay Roxas?" she said, and ruffled his hair.

"Don't do that!"

"Hahaha!"

He looked up at her. She was STILL giggling.

"Do you ever stop laughing woman!?" he joked.

"Let's have some fun," Naminè said with an untamed look in her eyes.

"What kind of fun?"

She grabbed his wrist again and he dropped her shoes. The next thing he knew, he was being thrown into the ocean.

"Naminè!!!!!" he yelled.

Naminè laughed and jumped in after him. She tackled him under the water.

He grabbed her leg and flipped her over just before they hit the surface. When she got up her light hair was plastered to her cheeks. Roxas's spikes had come down, so his hair looked flipped out.

"Ahhh, Nami, you wrecked my hair!" he exclaimed.

"Survival of the fittest!" she laughed, dunking him underwater. "I guess that's me!"

"Arggh!" he gurgled.

Roxas felt foolish as he did something he hadn't done in years. He dragged Naminè back to shore and took her hands. He began to spin rapidly in circles as Naminè screamed with happiness.

"Hold on, Nami!" he yelled. She laughed and screamed. Her long hair flew in the air behind her, and her clothes rippled in the wind.

It was like those things you only read in stories (A/N: No pun intended).

They landed on the ground, Naminè still laughing. It was so much fun, but then Roxas was getting a little tired of the beach.

"How 'bout we go to the arcade?" he suggested. Naminè looked a bit sad about leaving the beach, but nodded.

As Naminè played video games, Roxas thought about how great today had been.

What he didn't know, however, was that Amber Schmetterling had been watching them the entire time.

---


	6. Enough

-----

"Hey Roxas, I've got a question." Naminè was looking at the Town Map.

"Yeah?" Roxas replied.

"Well, the map says Ocean Avenue is six miles from Lily Beach."

"And?"

"AND how are we going to get home?"

"Oh. Well about that I was too busy thinking about the muffins I have to give to the—"

"FOCUS ROXAS!"

"Oh, hehe, sorry. Well… I could always call my brother."

Naminè laughed. "You're hilarious! Hehe not!"

Roxas's mind veered off to the last person who could give them a ride…

NO NO NO NO! HE WAS NOT GOING TO LET AMBER RUIN HIS PERFECT DAY!

Wait a second. They had to get home.

"I have a friend who could give us a ride."

"Who, Amber Schmetterling? Yuck! No way Roxas. Call Sora," Naminè said sticking out her tongue.

Roxas's stomach did a back flip. Roxas had no idea that it was that acrobatic.

"You know about Amber?"

"Amber, Amber, Amber. Roxas Alden's G.F and the most popular girl in Larkspur High. I know who she is."

She looked down. Roxas felt guilty. Had he been leading her on, unaware?

"Hey, look," she said. "McDonald's."

Roxas followed her pointing finger and saw the home of the evil clown.

"Naminè, you're not thinking about—"

"Actually I am hungry. Let's go!"

Me and my big mouth…

He leaned back, resting one leg against the wall next to the drink machine.

Naminè and I are both rich, WHY DO WE NEED TO EAT HERE!?

"C'mon, Roxas."

She was holding the tray of food with that same look on her face she had worn when they had first gone ding-dong-ditching with Hayner. Roxas left the drink machines and followed Naminè to a booth.

"You sure they'll let us eat with our wet clothes?" asked Roxas. Naminè laughed.

"It's MCDONALD'S, Rox."

"Right."

He nibbled on his fries while Naminè ate half her burger in one bite.

"Naminè, what are you, Ethiopian? You're acting like you haven't eaten in a week."

"Muh frobye cab," she said, her mouth full of fattening cow meat.

"Swallow," Roxas mumbled.

"Of course I have," she said again. "I just haven't eaten at McDonald's since I moved away!"

"Oh. Okay."

After Naminè devoured her food, they left McDonald's and headed down the hill.

"Naminè, can't you tell me where we're going?" Roxas said, tripping and landing on his stomach.

"You'll see," Naminè said with a devious smile.

They rounded the corner and Roxas grinned.

They were at the carnival!

"What should we do first?" Naminè asked.

Roxas didn't know. There were so many things that seemed to be screaming at him, PICK ME, ROXAS! PICK ME!!!!!!!!

"Um, what about the photo booth?"

"Sure!"

They sat in the box and Naminè inserted a dollar through the slot.

The first picture was of them doing gangsta looks.

The second was of Naminè punching Roxas in the face.

The third was of Naminè blowing a kiss while Roxas rolled his eyes.

The final picture was of them cheek to cheek, smiling broadly.

"Wow! I was amazing!" Naminè said, looking at the prints.

"YOU? Oh please," Roxas laughed and Naminè nudged him in the ribs.

"Don't hate, participate."

"Phh."

They got on a roller coaster after that. Naminè looked so pretty with the wind in her hair, Roxas thought, but his adoration quickly turned to sadness as he vomited over the side of the cart.

Naminè just laughed as he also did it in the trashcan.

"What's— so—funny?" Roxas choked.

"Your face!" she yelled playfully.

"Oh say that again!"

"Muhahhaha! Wanna get tattoos?"

"Permanent—or—not?"

"Not! Obviously I want it to come off!"

"Let's—go—then."

After Roxas finished expelling bodily acids, he and Naminè went over to the tattoo booth. A gruff looking man gave Roxas an R tattoo on is chest and Naminè got an N one on the back of her neck.

They got smoothies after that. Roxas got cherry and Naminè got passionfruit.

By the time Roxas was half finished Naminè wanted to do something else.

"Let's go on the Ferris Wheel!" she exclaimed, grabbing his wrist and causing him to drop his smoothie.

"Okay," he said.

She led him over and they got in. It rose steadily into the air and Roxas loved the feeling.

And then it started to rain.

"Oh, it's like a dream," she whispered, and Roxas nodded.

They looked at each other then.

She looked at him and realized that he was no longer the boy she had left behind twelve years ago. He was a young man. A young man who had always been her best friend. A caring person who had always been there for her. Her shining star.

He looked at her and realized she had blossomed into a beautiful girl. She had become less shy and more open too. Perhaps it was seeing everyone again. He didn't know.

Before he knew it, Naminè had scooted closer and placed her lips on his. He didn't want her to take them away for some reason.

It seemed as though they were locked together, and Roxas never wanted it to end. But then the ride stopped and she broke the kiss.

"Roxas…" she murmured. "Amber…"

"What about her?"

"She'll be mad at you… really mad… she'll dump you…"

She climbed out of the ride and sat on a nearby bench.

"Frankly, Naminè, I don't really care."

He sat on the bench next to her and they kissed once again.

----


	7. Confessions of a Teenage Drama King

----

Roxas sat in the cushy car seat of Amber's limo, thinking about the previous day. Naminè had always been his best friend, and now she was more. It was an amazing thought.

"Ehem." Amber cleared her throat.

Roxas looked up.

"Yeah?"

"Did you and your friend have fun yesterday, Roxas?" she said, tapping her foot.

"What friend?"

"Blonde girl. About 5''4."

"Oh, her. She used to live in my neighborhood. We hung out yesterday." That part was the truth.

"Uh-huh."

Her usually warm eyes now looked chilly as ice. It was a scary sight, but Roxas was willing to take it.

"You're just friends with her then?"

"Of course I am," Roxas lied. He couldn't tell her just yet. He had to ask Naminè first. He needed her approval.

"Okay, Roxas. I'll let you hang out with her. For a bit."

She had put emphasis on the word "let".

"You don't want to get on my bad side, Roxas Alden."

"Sure." He was trying to make her angry.

His casual statement seemed to strike lightening in Amber's eyes.

"If I find you've been doing more than hanging out with her, Roxas Alden, you're RUINED."

"Sure," Roxas said coolly.

"Roxas," Sora said, as soon as Roxas had arrived back home. "I heard about you and Naminè."

Roxas spit his Coke all over the platinum carpet. Had he heard right?

"What? From where?" he spluttered.

"Kairi," Sora replied simply, not taking his blue eyes off the brown stain on the carpet.

"How does Kairi know?"

"She and Naminè are like sisters. They tell each other everything."

Curse Kairi! That was the downside.

"I will be having a talk with Kairi."

"What? Afraid Amber's gonna find out?"

"I think she knows. But not about the Ferris Wheel thing."

"That's a relief. She'd put you at the bottom of the social scale like THAT." Sora snapped his fingers.

Roxas wasn't afraid of Amber Schmetterling. She was scary but not scary enough to make him give up Naminè. And neither was Sora, truth be told.

"Well Sora, I don't care. Amber can go shove her popularity—"

"Okay then."

Roxas shot him a dirty look.

"So you care more about having a popular brother than his happiness?"

"Whatever man."

Roxas slammed his Coke down on the coffee table and headed to his room. He'd had enough.

ENOUGH.

---


	8. Just Friends?

---

"Naminè!"

She turned around to face him.

"Hey!"

He grinned.

"So what's up?" she asked with a smile.

"Naminè… do you want me to tell Amber?"

Her mirror-like eyes filled with worry.

"Roxas… you can't do that… the other night was a mistake. I was just thinking about how much I missed you and my emotions just sort of spilled out. I'm sorry."

Roxas's mind went numb. Was she telling him...

"Naminè… are you saying I should stay with Amber?"

"Yes, Roxas. I think you definitely should. I can't get in the way." She looked defiant.

"I'm going to break up with her anyway."

It was the truth. Even IF he couldn't have Naminè, he didn't want Amber.

"What?" Naminè looked up, her blue eyes innocent and wide. Roxas melted, but didn't show it.

"She's mean, Naminè. She followed us."

"To the amusement park?" she looked worried, and Roxas could see why: if he were Naminè, and was seen with him in front of Amber, he'd be scared too.

"No, just to the beach, McDonald's and the arcade."

She looked sad now. Maybe...

"I'm sorry, Roxas. I never should have suggested that we cut class."

"No, Naminè. That was probable the best suggestion you ever made."

"But if I caused you and Amber to break up then I—"

"Believe me Naminè, no sweat." Seriously.

"I can't do this to you."

"What?"

"I wrecked your relationship."

"NO. IT WAS WRECKED ALREADY. Naminè, you didn't do anything wrong."

"You don't get it Roxas. We're best friends. I'm just not ready to be your girlfriend."

These words were like a punch in the face.

"What?"

"I'm sorry."

She walked off to her next class.

Roxas could not believe his ears. Naminè thought she had ruined everything when in truth she had made it much better for him.

He went to the lunchroom and saw Amber sitting with her usual group of friends. He gulped and walked up to her.

"Amb?"

She turned around.

" Yes?"

"I need to talk to you."

Her friends looked at him with looks of purest loathing. Roxas gave them a look back, and they desisted.

Roxas and Amber walked around the corner.

"Roxas?"

"It's over. All of it."

Her eyes became icy again.

"Does this have anything to do with—"

"Actually Naminè told me she wanted me to stay with you."

Amber looked dumbstruck.

"But I—"

He walked off to go and see someone. He was _done_ with Amber Schmetterling.

"Hayner!" he called, once he had reached his destination. The muscular blond was running track. He looked over at Roxas, then came over to him.

"What do you want?" he asked sourly.

"I broke up with Amber."

Roxas hoped this would cushion the hate.

"And?" Hayner looked expectant.

"And can I hang out with you guys again?" he mused. Hayner looked thoughtful, but then his mind jumped onto another topic he'd been wanting to tell Roxas.

"Well Olette and I are kind of dating now."

"Cool. Can I?"

"I don't know… Gimme some time to think about it.

"Sure."

He went to Naminè's art class next. He burst in the room and the teacher gave him a nasty look.

"This better be good, Alden," she said.

"I need to talk with Naminè," he panted.

"You've got two minutes. Naminè is working on a very important project."

Naminè was sitting at her desk, fingers poised with a pencil, but her eyes were on Roxas. Sora was watching from the other side of the room, and Roxas glowered at him. The older boy hurriedly got back to his work.

"Naminè, I broke up with Amber," he said, as soon as they'd retreated into the privacy of the hall.

She smiled.

"Good for you," she said honestly.

An anime sweat drop goes down Roxas's head.

"You do know what this means right?"

"What?"

"We can be together now."

"Roxas, I already told you you're my best friend."

"I know."

"Nothing more."

"I came to ask you if you wanted to go to Riku's party with me."

She looked like she was thinking hard.

"Okay. But we're going just as friends, you know."

He grinned that stupid boyish grin of his. Naminè grinned back, but only in a _friendly _way.

"Cool!"

"Naminè, your two minutes is up!" called the voice of that evil old art teacher Roxas hated so much.

Naminè shrugged and went back into the classroom.

Every year Riku held a big party at the start of the school year. Only the popular kids and their friends were invited, and now Roxas was only going because he had Sora for a brother. But he was still going, either way.

The party was three days away.

Then two.

And finally it was the day of the party. All the popular kids were hyped up, and the unpopular kids seemed sad. But Roxas was going with Naminè.

As the bell wrang, Roxas rushed over to Naminè's locker. She had told him to meet her there.

"What time are we leaving?"

"The party starts at nine tonight."

"Cool. So what are we doing in the meantime?"

Roxas thought about it.

"Well, since you haven't been in a while, how about you come over to my house and visit my mom?"

"Good idea."

They took a bus home. When they got off, Naminè jumped hopscotch on the patterns little kids had made on the sidewalk. Roxas laughed as she did so, causing her to fall and hit the ground.

When they had gotten to his house, Mrs. Alden greeted them. She smiled at Roxas, and her jaw dropped when her eyes reached Naminè.

"Hi, Roxas. And—Oh, my goodness… Naminè?"

Naminè smiled at her and bowed.

"Mrs. Alden."

"Dear! You came back!"

The two hugged and Roxas caught himself right in the middle of an awkward moment.

"Mom, Naminè and I are going to Riku's party tonight."

"Be back before 1:00, okay?"

"All right."

Then 9:00 came.

----


	9. The Party

---

Roxas waited outside Naminè's door, enjoying the crisp night air. To be honest, he was little bit disappointed about Naminè's telling him that she just wanted to be friends with him. Maybe she thought he was on the rebound. But it wasn't like that; in a way she had woken him from a restless sleep into the beginning of the beautiful day but wanted him to go back to sleep.

He had been waiting twenty minutes, but then realized that this was probably the average time for girls getting ready; Amber usually took an hour and a half just to get her face done. Naminè was so much more down to earth.

"Roxas."

Roxas turned around.

Naminè was standing in front of him in a short white minidress with a white sparkling over it. Her eyes were done cat style with white spikes reaching up to her temples. Her blonde hair was straightened to perfection. It almost blinded Roxas to look at her.

"Wow." That was all he could say.

She rolled her eyes and laughed.

"That's all the compliments I can get from you?"

Roxas nodded with a chuckle.

"Okay, well, next time you get dressed up, don't expect any compliments from me," said Naminè coolly. "How are we getting there?"

"Riku's coming to get us," Roxas replied mistily, still in awe of Naminè's appearance. There was no artifice to her, nothing man-made, just pure beauty.

"Stop gawking and zip your fly," she said, pointing down. Roxas followed her gesture and realized that he had forgotten to zip his pants. After he did that, he looked up at Naminè to criticize her, but there was nothing to disparage.

They sat on her stoop and talked for a bit. Naminè was constantly dejecting Roxas from the subject of romance, but he did not desist. She seemed to be getting a little irritated, but still. Then after a little while, a dark green truck pulled up. This was not making any sense. That was Hayner's truck. They had been expecting Riku.

Roxas told Naminè to stay on the porch. He hurried over to Hayner, who was sitting in the driver's seat with a smug look on his face.

"Hey, Rox. What's up?" he said casually.

"Riku was supposed to come get us."

"Yeah well Olette wanted me to get you for some reason. Whoa, who's that you're with?"

"Naminè."

Hayner's brown eyes widened.

"Is that the same Naminè I met twelve—"

"Yes, Hayner. That's the same old Naminè. I'll go get her."

Roxas went back over to the stoop, took Naminè's hand and led her over to Hayner's truck.

"Oh my gosh, Hayner!" she exclaimed at the sight of him. He laughed at the stunned look on her face.

"Yeah, it's good to see you again too. You remember Olette?"

At the sight of Naminè, Olette, who was wearing a peach cocktail dress, ran around the truck and crushed Naminè in a hug.

"Oh my gosh I missed you!!!!!" Olette and Naminè yelled together. Roxas found himself in the second awkward moment of the day, but this time Hayner was along for the ride.

"Well, we gotta go," Hayner said to break the ice, and the two girls broke apart.

They piled in the truck. Olette and Naminè reminisced about past times while Hayner and Roxas kind of talked in their own little bubble.

"Good job, Roxas. You've found a winner in Naminè," mumbled Hayner, stopping at a red light. Roxas chuckled sarcastically.

"Hayner, Naminè and I are not an item," he corrected. Hayner's face fell.

"What, are you back together with that she-devil?" He muttered, not taking his eyes off the road.

"I—wha--?"

"Yeah. Amber Evil-ling."

"No," Roxas assured him of that. He wanted no rumors spread.

"So you're with Naminè?"

"NO, we're friends."

Hayner laughed.

"Just keep telling yourself that, Roxas. You're in denial."

"It's not ME who's in denial. It's Naminè."

"Okay, okay. We're here."

They were turning into the driveway of a huge white house with a wading pool by the front steps. Olette and Naminè still seemed oblivious to their surroundings, but Roxas was not surprised.

They got out of the truck and walked in.

The foyer was filled with people Roxas recognized as the popular crowd from school. They were all in expensive clothing. Many of them were staring at Naminè, and he didn't like that. He glared at them, and most of them desisted.

Sora walked up to them and clapped Roxas on the shoulder.

"Hey there, Roxas. Where's the dumpster so I can eat and rush my hair?" he said mistily, swaying slightly on the spot. Roxas looked at him and saw a glass of wine in his hand. He was definitely not all there.

"Sora, if I were you I'd go to Starbucks and get a nice, black coffee," Roxas laughed, and put his hand on Naminè's shoulder. "You know Naminè."

Sora seemed to sober up at once.

"Naminè, it's good to see you again. You know Roxas thinks you're really ho—"

"OKAY Sora! Thank you for the lovely greeting," Roxas cut him off before he could spill Roxas's secret about Naminè.

Hayner and Olette were stifling laughs.

Roxas turned red.

"Hey, Roxas."

Roxas looked over his shoulder to see a tall boy with silver hair standing right behind him.

"Riku! Great party," Sora said heavily. Riku snickered.

"I already told him to go to Starbuck's, so don't even bother," advised Roxas solemnly.

"Hayner, Olette. And who's this?" Riku asked, tilting his head in Naminè's direction.

"Naminè Lavender," Roxas answered. Naminè smiled.

"Nice to meet you, Riku."

Suddenly her words were drowned out by Kairi's words over the loudspeaker.

"Alrighty then everyone, grab your partners, the dance marathon is about to begin!" she yelled, and everybody cheered.

Roxas looked at Naminè. "Wanna do it?"

She nodded with that same wild look on her face she had the other day on the beach. It was funny, kinda.

He took her hand. They ran out to the dance floor.

They waltzed first, much to Roxas's dismay, but he tango was what made him happier. Naminè didn't seem tired at all when they had been dancing for five hours. There were only three couples left on the dance floor: He and Naminè, Hayner and Olette, and Riku and Kairi (Sora had passed out and Kairi said she wanted that prize).

Finally it was just Roxas, Naminè, Hayner and Olette. Olette had taken off her shoes and looked a bit drowsy, though.

Finally, Olette fell over and was fast asleep on the dance floor. Hayner picked her up and put her in a nearby chair.

Roxas and Naminè had won the dance competition and the $5,000 dollars that had come with it.

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have a winner," Kairi murmured into the mic.

Naminè ran up to Kairi and claimed her check. Roxas waited on the dance floor.

"Use it well," he said. She shook her head.

"Nope. Half's yours."

He smiled. She was so generous.

"Thanks."

"No problem. I'd do anything for my best friend."

Something died inside Roxas. It was either: A, his heart. Or B, his stomach from the taco he'd had earlier. He wanted more than friendship.

---


	10. The Accident

RING! RING! RING!

"H-hello?" Roxas asked sleepily to the phone. He had just been having a rather pleasant dream about the night before, and he felt bad that it had ended so soon.

"Oh... Roxas..."

It was Olette's voice. Roxas switched the phone to the other ear, happy to hear from her. But his happiness quickly turned to fright as he heard her speak again.

"Roxas, Naminè had an accident."

Roxas's nervous system felt like it had shut down. All his cares and ambitions were being wiped away and being replaced by an ocean of concern.

"Is she... how did it happen?" he asked dryly, all of the happiness draining.

"Well... yesterday, you told her to take the metro home, right?"

"Yeah, because she wouldn't let ME take her home."

Olette swallowed; then Roxas, thinking this was a good idea, swallowed too. Truthfully, some of the lump in his throat went away.

"Then what?" he asked.

"She... I think when she got back to Ocean Avenue, she dropped something in the street and went back to get it. Then... she was hit."

Roxas put the phone on speaker, and then clutched his aching head. He had immediately gotten a migraine when he heard the word _accident._

"Is she alive?" he choked as soon as he had regained control of himself. Olette seemed to breathe in relief.

"Yeah, she's fine now. She has a couple broken bones, and a mild concussion, but she's okay overall."

The ocean of concern was besieged by a wave of relief at that moment. Without thinking, Roxas hung up on Olette and got dressed. He ran down the stairs, two at a time, and wrote a hasty note once he'd gotten to the kitchen:

_Sora/Mom,_

_Something came up with Naminè. I have to go take care of it, and I'll be back before noon. __Maybe.__ I'm taking the metro, so don't freak out if I'm not here when you get home._

_ROXAS_

Yes, that looked about right. He grabbed his MetroCard off the counter, and bolted out the front door.

He sprinted all the way to the station, and stopped in the gift shop on his way there. He needed to pick something up.

After that had been taken care of, Roxas boarded the first train to Ocean Avenue General. He was sitting in his compartment when an eerily familiar syrupy voice filled it.

"Roxie!"

He looked up.

There, in the doorway, stood none other than Amber Schmetterling. She was wearing pale blue silk today, which accentuated her spine, which you could see through her shirt. Roxas shuddered as he tried to think what he had ever seen in her.

"Hello, Amber," he said simply.

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm going somewhere. And it's none of your business."

She came over and sat across from him, to his disgust.

"Temper, temper. That's why I love you so much, Roxas. You're a BAD BOY."

Roxas glared as she grinned.

"Amber, you're a demon."

He grin disappeared.

"What?"

"You heard me, Evil-Ling."

Her eyes turned icy. Roxas was used to it by now, but it still scared him a bit. But he was standing his ground.

"I know where you're going. You're going to see Loser Lavender."

Roxas tensed up; his arms were pulsing as they usually did when he was angry. His hair was standing up on all ends.

"Naminè is no loser, Am-_ber. _She's a winner, for being nice, compassionate, and something you'll never be."

"What is that?" she asked, her tone dripping with fury.

"A GOOD PERSON."

Amber's eyes seemed to freeze all the way through. Her feet shook, and her arms tremored.

"You want me back, Roxas. That's what this is about, isn't it?"

Roxas couldn't help it; he laughed.

"No, Amber. You're REALLY wrong on that one. Now, why don't you go do something useful. Lift something, wax something, have something peeled. It's my life, you piece of plastic."

"You're just using Naminè to get attention. She's... pretty, which means people are gonna like you more. I know how you play, Alden, and you don't play fair."

"Oh, I don't play fair? You hypocritical, vindictive sack of silicone! Don't you get it? I DON'T WANT YOU. I DON'T WANT POPULARITY. I want _Naminè."_

The train stopped, and Roxas left Amber in the compartment.

Finally, he reached the archway to the hospital. He made his way up the hospital steps, where he saw Hayner and Olette.

"Guys!" he exclaimed. They looked up, and Hayner waved.

"C'mere!" he said, and then looked back at Olette, who shrugged for some reason. "Want sausage?" he asked as Olette pulled a package of Jimmy Dean Smoked Sausage out of her pocket.

"No, thanks, I'll have some food in the cafeteria," Roxas improvised, and Olette put the sausage back in her pocket.

"Suit yourself," they said in unison.

"Let's go see Naminè," he said immediately, and they nodded.

Since Hayner had no clue where he was going, and Roxas hadn't been to Ocean Avenue General since he and Naminè had gone biking at six and he'd broken an ankle, Olette led the way. She said hi to the many nurses, who she strangely knew by name. Finally, they reached the end of a long hallway.

Olette opened the white door.

The room was simple, but nicely furnished all the same. It reminded Roxas of Naminè's room back home, but a tad more artificial.

In the center of the room was a large canopy bed, white with sheaf. But it was who was in the bed that Roxas was most interested in.

"Roxas," Naminè said weakly, a smile forming on her pale lips.

She was wearing a white hospital gown, with a long sock on the one leg that didn't have a cast. She had a lot of bandages here and there, and a lot of wrappings on her head. Roxas figured it was to mitigate her concussion.

"Naminè." He said it as he sat next to her in a chair. Her eyes looked lighter, somehow. Maybe it was the lighting…

"Hi," she said softly. Roxas leaned over and planted a soft kiss on her cheek, which was the only place that looked like it didn't hurt her.

"Sorry I couldn't come earlier, Nam."

"It's alright."

She was grinning at him, though somewhat inhibited. He grinned back, then remembered something.

"Naminè," he said, "I brought you something."

He drew from his pocket a long chain, with a silver diamond cross on the end. He had picked it up from the station today, and it had been personalized and special ordered.

"For me?" she asked. He nodded, his tears forming.

"For you."

He turned the cross over and read the engraving:

_Naminè, when I think of you,_

_I get a feeling, and I know it's true_

_Here's the truth, I've always knew_

_You are my angel,__ the angel of Ocean Avenue._

Naminè gasped when he finished. Roxas was amazed as she performed an amazing feat: she sat up and hugged him.

"Thank you," she cried.

Roxas smelled her hair, her skin. It felt so good to have her in his arms.

---

**Well?**


	11. Surprises

**I'm really sorry about the slow update you guys. It was mostly due to the fact that I do not have as many reviewers as I would like to. Well, now Roxas is giving out those little marshmallow Peeps. And in case you don't like those, I brought Hershey's and Crunch bars. Take your pick. Remember, you only get virtual sweets if you review!**** And PLEASE lea****ve some suggestions, okay? It makes me sad that you do not.**

**Roxas: What good are VIRTUAL sweets?**

**Claire: I can't give them real sweets, Roxas.**

**Roxas: Well, why not?**

**Claire: He's hopeless…**

**Roxas: Oh, I'M hopeless?**

**---**

Roxas awoke the next morning and got out of bed with a new spring in his step. He was so happy.

He kissed his mother on the cheek as she was descending the stairs.

"Who are you and what have you done with my son?" she asked, stunned.

"Nothing, Mom. It's the same old me," Roxas said, running down the stairs into the kitchen. He was hungry, but decided he would cook for the whole family this morning (even Sora's new pet kitten, Kairi).

All looked shocked when he presented them with their plates, even the kitten to some extent. None of them had ever seen Roxas this nice, and although it was different, they like it and decided to tag it as a positive change. Either way, it was a good thing.

Roxas devoured his eggs (much like Naminè had done with her McDonald's four months previously) and ran out the front door as fast as a speeding bullet. Sora looked at his mother with raised eyebrows and a quizzical look about him.

"What's with him?" he asked. Mrs. Alden laughed and shrugged.

"I think he's lovestruck," she cooed.

Sora scrunched up his face.

"With who?" he asked, putting his plate in the sink. "Who could want Roxas?"

She slapped his arm for the mordant comment then pointed out the window. "Take a look where he's going."

Roxas was crossing the street. (Sora's face, at that moment, became a complete and comical O.o)

---

By the time Roxas had reached the sidewalk, Naminè was outside. She was wearing a pink shirt and matching shorts today.

"Hey," he said. "What's up?"

"Nothing much," she replied vaguely, "Just hanging around. What about you?"

"Eh, nothing special."

They just stood for a while looking at each other. Roxas was so thankful for his good fortune.

"Erm, Roxas, I think we should go now. People are starting to stare," Naminè said with a weird look on her face. Roxas immediately straightened up and rubbed the back of his head, embarrassed. Naminè laughed and took his hand.

The two walked to the station, Naminè giggling and laughing the entire time. It did not anger or annoy him, he just wished she would be a little more quiet; she was attracting more staring people than he was.

As they were sitting in their seats, Roxas asked Naminè the question that had been killing him for the past week.

"Naminè?" he said, and she looked up at him (she had been drawing).

"Yes?"

"Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, Roxas. Anything."

She put down her pencil and looked at him intently.

Those eyes of hers really pierced your soul.

He took a deep breath.

Now was the time to ask.

"What do you think of me?"

She picked up her pencil and began to chew on it.

"Well, you're my boyfriend for one thing, so I obviously really like you. You were my best friend as kids, and now it's time to move up from that. I like your hair too, Roxas. It's cute on you," a smile curled onto her face with each word.

She was obviously telling him her true feelings.

Roxas felt relieved at her words. This was good.

"What do you think of me?" Naminè said, grinning.

Roxas scrunched up his nose in thought. There was so much to say that when he did say it, it spilled over like a waterfall.

"Well, I, uh, think you're really cute and smart and talented too, and I like the way your hair falls over one shoulder the way it does, It's cute, I, uh, like the fact that our moms our friends and that you are always making sure I'm dressed right, and that you think my hair's cute. Also, you're one of the nicest people I've ever known."

Naminè smiled. A smile Roxas had never seen on her face before. A smile that was so vibrant, so full of happiness that it almost blinded him to see it.

"Thank you, Roxas. That's the nicest thing anybody's ever said about me, really," she murmured, her face red. These words shocked Roxas.

"You don't get a lot of compliments?" he asked in disbelief. She shook her head, embarrassed. Roxas wished he could take back his words, but she spoke first.

"My dad wasn't exactly a motivational speaker, and my mom was sort of a pushover; she did whatever he said," she said, more to the train window than to Roxas. The blonde boy scratched his head a bit and looked around

Roxas suddenly understood.

"Oh… well, I'm sorry." That was pretty much all he could say right now.

Naminè looked up with a grin.

"It's okay, Roxas. It's not your fault. It's his."

Roxas scooted closer to her.

"I'm here for you. I hope you know that," he said.

She nodded and put her head on his shoulder…

"ROXAS!!! GET UP!!"

Roxas felt a sharp pain in the back of his head. He opened his eyes to see his brother Sora standing in front of him, holding his Keyblade.

"Omygod, Sor, don't do that. Where's Naminè?" Roxas grumbled, looking around for the blonde girl.

"Right here!" shouted Naminè. She was standing behind Sora.

"Wuzzgoinon?" Roxas said, rubbing his sore neck. Naminè pushed Sora out of the way and sat down next to Roxas.

"Roxas, your mom called. She said the three of us have to come back to the house now, because she wants to ask us something. I don't know what, because she didn't elaborate," she explained, and he nodded.

"Thanks."

It was a few minutes later that they arrived in Central Station. Sora drove them back to the house, where Mrs. Alden was waiting on the front porch.

"Roxas! Naminè! Sora! C'mere!" she exclaimed. Roxas nervously approached the porch.

A little voice in his head spoke.

_You're probably in trouble. _

_Who are you to judge? Get outta my brain, now or I will think of Teletubbies._

_NOOOOO!!!__ Not those evil cheery fat thingies!!_

_Ohoho, yes_

Roxas looked at his mother.

"Yeah, Mom?"

She looked happy rather than angry…

Boy, was this a first.

_Ha-ha__, stupid voice. Take that. _

"Roxas, I just got a call… I'm taking a vacation to France!" she exclaimed, hugging him. Roxas pointed to Sora once she had let go of him.

"So I have to stay here with THAT? ALONE?" he said, anger in his voice. Well, just as much anger as fear. It was… awful! Sora always made messes, ate too much—

Not to mention the fact that he always clogged up the toilet. Ew.

"No, silly. You, Naminè, Sora and Kairi can come with. Even Hayner and Olette if they want," his mother explained.

Roxas sighed in relief.

"Thanks Mom." He was happy.

She nodded and opened the front door. "And, there's one more thing."

"What?"

She swung the door wide, and a huge white boxer bounded out onto the porch and tackled Roxas. As he was being licked by the dog, Roxas saw Naminè giggling out of the corner of his eyes. Sora was laughing too, and Roxas felt happy inside.

They were going to France.

Naminè had finally opened up to him.

Amber Schmetterling was in jail.

All was well.

For the moment…

---

**Alrighty! Yes! Finished with the new chap. I hope you guys are happy with it, and please review a bit. Not asking for much, just some reviews. **

**Thanks!**

**Roxas: Thank you Claire. **

**Claire: too shocked at Roxas's generosity**

**Roxas: See you later…**

**Claire: Bye everyone!**

**Roxas: Claire, Hayner's eating all the doughnuts in the staff lounge.**

**Claire: Hayner shall die!!!!**

**---**


	12. There She Goes!

"Roxas, come on! Get your butt over here and help me zip this!" Naminè said, and Roxas walked over and helped Naminè zip her suitcase. They were leaving for the airport in twenty minutes and were in a slight hurry. 

Sora was leaning against the door frame in amusement. Roxas glared at him as he tugged on the zipper. He really didn't need this right now!

"Okay, there you go," he said to Naminè, and sat on the couch beside her bed.

She nodded and put the suitcase on the ground. Roxas, who had his eyes closed, heard the footsteps of large shoes, which meant Sora had left. Then he felt a lot of air on his face and opened his eyes.

"Naminè, can you please not do that!?" he yelled, sitting straight up. She had been blowing air in his face.

"Sorry! I'm just really hyper right now!" she said loudly, pulling her hair up into a ponytail. Roxas laughed at her insecurity and picked up his own suitcase. It was time to wait for Sora, Hayner, Olette and Kairi out front.

They went to the porch. Naminè told Roxas precisely what stores she was going to shop at, what restaurants she was going to eat at, and going to see her cousins in Paris. It was a bit annoying, but easy to deal with on the whole.

Then, after an eternity, Sora and Kairi pulled up. Roxas and Naminè picked up their luggage and strode over to the red car, then got in. Both Sora and Kairi seemed to be in good spirits, but Sora had a bit of a curt flavor to him.

"So guys," Sora said. "Are you guys going to the huge party in Paris on Friday?"

Roxas looked at Naminè, who shrugged then nodded.

"Yeah, I guess we are."

"Cool!" Kairi exclaimed, clapping like Sharpay from High School Musical. Roxas rolled his eyes.

Naminè apparently saw this and slapped Roxas on the arm playfully. Sora, looking into the back seat, said "Hey, no violence."

Roxas chuckled sarcastically, which he did a lot. Naminè looked out the window.

Roxas watched her carefully. She seemed pained, or broken somehow. Maybe it was a mistake asking her about her dad and all that…

"Naminè?" he asked. She swung her blonde head around to him.

"Yeah?"

She looked a tad irritable. He didn't get why.

"Are you mad at me at all?"

She raised her eyebrows, but when she spoke, it was with a quivering voice.

"No. I'm not."

Her tone was poisonous.

What was wrong with her?

He watched her for the rest of the ride. Every movement she made seemed to be twitchy, or done with shaking limbs.

When they got out of the car, Naminè took her suitcase and went into the airport without a word. Roxas made a note to discuss this with Sora, but for now he needed to buy tickets and keep an eye on Naminè.

She went out to the runway and boarded the plane. Roxas followed close behind her, but she seemed not to notice. It infuriated him, how she was acting. When they had left the house she had been happy and chipper, and now she was just acting downright mad.

"Naminè?" he asked about fifteen minutes into the flight.

She did not look up from her drawing.

"You don't have to talk to me, but I would think it fairer if you explained why you were angry with me," Roxas improvised.

Her grip on the pencil tightened.

"I'm not mad," she said with gritted teeth.

Roxas nodded. He would get an answer out of her sooner or later; he hated being left in the dark.

Three hours after that, the pilot's voice rang out through the narrow aisles.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please prepare for the landing. We have arrived in Paris. We hope you enjoyed using Alden Airlines."

Roxas's jaw dropped. This was one of his planes.

As he entered the French airport, Roxas decided he would ask Kairi to figure out what was wrong with Naminè. After all, Sora _had _said they were like sisters.

"Kairi!" he said, tapping her on the shoulder. When she turned around, he realized that her eyes were filled with tears.

"Kairi, what's wrong?" Roxas asked, looking around for Naminè.

"Sora just dumped me," she said, going red. A sudden feeling of anger sprung up inside Roxas. He didn't understand it.

"Oh.." That was that. "He's a jerk, then. I'm sorry."

She burst into hysterics at that moment. Roxas backed away.

"What's wrong?" he asked again, quieter this time. He didn't want to sadden Kairi more.

"That's what Sora said to me when… when…" she was sobbing too hard for him to understand the rest.

Roxas backed into the wall. Dead end.

"Kairi… I… sort of…"

She threw herself into his arms and continued sobbing. Roxas looked around and saw a pair of angry mirror-like eyes glaring at him from across the room. He was frozen in one inevitable moment of sheer hell.

Kairi's tears were staining his shirt. The brunette was so hysterical…

"Kairi… pull yourself together…" he whispered, but she just screamed louder. "You're making a scene."

She let go of him. They were still standing close to each other, and Roxas noticed that her eyes were almost identical to Naminè's.

"Uh, Kairi, I've got to check into my hotel now," he said simply. It was the truth.

He took a town car to the Ritz hotel. It was easy to check in, his mother had made reservations for him.

Roxas threw his backpack onto his bed and fell back onto it. He needed some rest.

Then his cell phone wrang. He picked it up and spoke with a monotonous voice.

"Hello?"

"Roxas? It's Naminè," said that familiar voice.

"Hey. What's up?"

"I saw you with Kairi in the lobby a couple minutes ago."

"Oh, yeah, about that, Sora dumped her."

Naminè took a sharp breath.

"I know."

"She was hysterical."

"You all hugged."

Roxas's throat locked up.

"What are you saying?" he choked.

"I'm saying that it's over. All of it. We can stay friends and all, and actually, that's what I wanted all along. I always wanted to be your best friend and nothing more."

Roxas flopped back onto his pillows.

"You're breaking up with me?"

"Yes, Roxas. I am. You can go back to Amber, or date Kairi. I don't care anymore, okay? This is what I was afraid of. We break up."

Roxas swallowed hard.

"Bye then?"

"Goodbye."

Roxas pressed END.

Great, now what? Naminè hated him now, and Sora probably did too! This was terrific.


	13. Craziness

**---**

Naminè looked at her itinerary for today. Shopping, shopping, and shopping.

She put stared at her AE flip-flops. They were so cute, but she couldn't buy any more here.

The Roxas thing wasn't really bugging her. She had just wanted to be best friends, nothing more, just like she had told him several months previously. He was just too insatiable for her.

Kairi could have him, she decided. They could stay friends, right?

"Naminè," said a voice.

Naminè turned to see Sora (wearing his outfit from KH2) standing right behind her.

"Oh, hi Sora," she said absentmindedly. He was looking intently at her for some strange reason. She shrugged it off.

His eyes seemed locked. She felt like glaring at him, but she decided words were better.

"What?" simple and clean.

He did not lift his gaze.

"You're a very good-looking person," he said simply. Something sharp pierced Naminè's brain when she realized that Sora was coming onto her.

"Thank you," Naminè said shortly, picking up her purse. Sora was acting extremely out of character. Sora scratched his head curiously. He must have been thinking about what he was going to say next.

"Well, before I met you, Kairi never said how attractive you were."

Naminè didn't know what to say to that except—

"Well maybe she doesn't think I'm attractive."

Sora laughed and leaned against the wall.

"I don't think it's a matter of an opinion. Whatever way you look at it, you ARE good looking, Naminè."

Naminè smiled nervously.

"Uh, thanks?" she said, leaving the room. She heard footsteps behind her, and concluded that Sora was following her.

"Wait, Naminè! That all came out wrong!" he exclaimed, then tripped over his own feet and fell to the ground. Naminè couldn't help giggling, and he grinned stupidly.

"Hehe.. sorry," she said, still laughing at Sora's clumsy fall. He got up and dusted himself off; she immediately stopped laughing.

"No, it's fine. I just wanted to ask you if you wanted to do something later—"

"Yes!"

Naminè was shocked at how fast she answered.

Sora looked dumbstruck.

"W-What?" he spluttered. She blushed.

"I'd like to hang out with you later—I mean, if that's okay and all," she said, and he turned bright red.

"Sure, umm, wanna go to the big party tonight?" Sora said nervously, rubbing the back of his head. Naminè grinned and nodded.

"Sure." It was better than showing up without a date.

Sora looked relieved. It was refreshing to see him happy.

"Okay… so can I knock on your door at seven?"

"See you then, I guess."

He nodded, and she walked off. It was time to go shopping.

---

Meanwhile, Roxas was facing problems of his own. Naminè was still not speaking to him, and he hadn't heard from Hayner and Olette. Word had it; they had decided to go to Italy for the week. Roxas felt a little lonely without his buddy, but that wasn't the issue here.

He felt angrier. That morning he had gotten so angry he had smashed his room's television with the Keyblade and had to pay for it. (A/N: That's more than a little mad.)

He hadn't eaten for a day and a half, so he headed down to breakfast.

Once Roxas had gotten to the hall, he literally bumped into his older brother.

"Whoa! Oh, hey Roxas. What up?" Sora said nonchalantly, picking up the package he had dropped. Roxas looked at it, but Sora's hand was concealing the address sticker.

"I'm just starved." Roxas replied, craning his head to get a look at that sticker. Sora apparently sensed what he was up to and gave him a weird look.

"Why are you trying to look at my package?" Sora inquired, the weird look plastered to his face.

"No reason," Roxas insisted, looking at a painting on the wall. "So are you going to the party tonight?"

Sora grinned.

"Yeah, I am. I've got a date too."

Roxas was taken aback.

"You've got a date? Who?" he asked, shocked. HE was the stud muffin, not Sora.

"All in good time," Sora said, smirking. "See you."

As Roxas sat at the table enjoying his English muffin, he looked out at the sunrise. It brought back a memory.

_"So Roxas, what are you gonna be when you grow up?" the tiny blonde said._

_"I dunno… I might not work at all, probably," Roxas had answered, looking at the ground. They were sitting on the Lily Beach dock, eating Sea Salt Ice Creams._

_"Oh, well I want to be an artist," she replied, her voice soft._

_He nodded, and threw his ice cream stick into the sea. It bobbed on the surface for a moment, then absorbed water and sank._

_"You like to draw, huh?" he asked, and she nodded._

_"It's the only thing I've ever been good at…" she trailed off, embarassed._

_"I doubt that. You're good at lots of things."_

_Roxas was telling the truth. She had beaten him at sports, academics, and chewing gum battles._

_"…__ I have to go home now, okay?"_

_He __looked at her. She looked sad, her mirror-like orbs reflecting in the twilight air._

_"Okay. Bye."_

The reason Roxas thought of that memory a lot was the fact that that had been the first day he and Naminè had spent together, after the time he had knocked on her door. She had first told him about her life that day.

"Ahh, well…" he said at the nostalgic moment. "We're still friends."

Were they? He didn't know… Maybe he should call her later.

Roxas went back down the hallway to his room, and slammed the door. He needed some good old fashioned rest.

The alarm clock woke him seven hours later, at eight o'clock. When he saw it, he nearly had a heart attack.

Time for the party.

---


	14. All American French Girl

**---**

Roxas had heard it was a fancy party that he was attending, thrown by the daughter of the French ambassador. Her name was Noelle Louvre, and she was extremely elegant. It was going to be hard to find something to wear.

He dug through his suitcase and, underneath about eight pairs of dirty underwear, he found a simple black tuxedo.

"That'll do," he said. Throwing it on, he gelled up his hair and brushed his teeth. That was about it.

Then some cologne.

After that Roxas picked up his cell phone and called a limo to pick him up (that is fun). It came about thirty minutes later, making him later and angrier than he was.

Finally he arrived at the large brick manor of Noelle Louvre. The yard was crowded with yapping people and their yapping Chihuahuas, but Roxas didn't really care. He just wanted to get in there and hang out with Hayner and Olette, who had returned for the party.

He opened the front door with ease. But there was someone blocking his path.

A girl.

She was tall and willowy with pale skin and small brown freckles on her face. Her hair was medium brown in color, and her eyes a bright, vibrant green. The type of green that was matching the sequined dress she was wearing.

"Hi, there," she said, shaking Roxas's hand. Roxas noticed the absence of a French accent. "I'm Noelle."

THIS was Noelle? The Noelle he had heard about was FRENCH.

"Noelle Louvre?" Roxas asked. Just making sure.

"The one and only, and I know, I'm not French. The ambassador adopted me a year and a half ago," Noelle explained, handing Roxas a drink off a tray she was holding. He took it but did not drink.

"Hey, if you wanna talk to me, let's go sit somewhere. We look like idiots blocking the doorway like this," she laughed.

Roxas turned red and followed her through the large foyer. They sat on a white leather couch in the living room.

"So, enough about me," Noelle said, sipping her drink intently. Roxas sat up and told her about himself.

"Well, I'm Roxas Alden, I'm 17, I go to Larkspur High back in the Americas—"

"Wait, wait. You mean—on Ocean Avenue?" Noelle interrupted.

Roxas was shocked. How did Noelle know about Ocean Avenue?

"How do you—" he began, but Noelle cut him off again; she seemed to be bursting to tell him something.

"I went to middle school there," she said, putting down her now empty glass.

"Wow," he said.

"I was just like you before my parents died and the ambassador adopted me," she continued. "I still really miss them though."

Roxas didn't exactly know what she meant.

"Oh, well, I'm sorry," he said. She smiled.

"It's okay, I brought it up."

"True."

This girl was pretty nice. And pretty PRETTY.

"Well Noelle," he said as something popped into his brain. "I'm gonna go look for my brother, okay?"

Noelle grinned.

"Go ahead, Roxas."

He walked into the foyer. Sora was not here…

Maybe out back. He was correct on that one.

Sora was sitting on the double swing with his date, drinking and laughing. When Roxas focused on his date, he almost had a heart attack.

It was Naminè.

She did not look much like she usually did. She was wearing a red spaghetti strap dress with a pretty short skirt, and her hair was twisted up into an elegant updo. Her lipstick matched the dress, and Roxas thought she looked stunning. He had to go over and say hi or something. He just had to.

When he reached the swing, his older brother looked up.

"Roxas," he said. Naminè smiled at the sight of him.

"Hi, Roxas," she said with a smile. "You like the party?"

"Yeah, I do," he replied, then gave his brother a dirty look. Sora shot one right back.

Suddenly he heard Kairi's voice, which seemed to come from somewhere behind him.

"Hey, Roxas," she said, smiling. She was wearing a pink dress with blue flowers on it. She looked pretty nice.

"Hi Kairi," Roxas said absentmindedly, continuing his death glare toward Sora, who was not backing down. Kairi walked off and returned a short while later, accompanied by Noelle.

"Boys," Noelle said. "No death stares."

Roxas desisted.

Naminè grinned and giggled. "Roxas always listens to women, Noelle," she said, pointing to Roxas.

Roxas was taken aback at Naminè's behavior. She was not acting hostile or anything.

"Especially my mom," Sora said, and a lot of the surrounding people laughed. Roxas turned red.

Noelle looked at him sympathetically.

Sora and Naminè went inside to get some grub, and the rest of the clan followed. So now it was only Roxas, Kairi and Noelle.

"Well, I'm gonna go have some deviled eggs," Kairi said, then rushed off after the crowd and yelled "Save some for me!"

Noelle and Roxas sat at the swing. Noelle looked kind of shy, but then Roxas broke the ice.

"So… what do you like to do for fun?" he asked. It was a stupid question, but it was all he could think of off the top of his head.

"Well, I like to paint and I play tennis," Noelle replied, messing with a piece of mulch.

"Cool," Roxas said. "I can't do either of those things. Maybe you can teach me sometime."

Noelle smiled slightly.

"I'd like that," she said.

Suddenly Hayner ran outside, yelling.

"Guys, Riku just threw up in the punch bowl!" he exclaimed, rushing back inside for a better look. Noelle smiled at Roxas and left the swing.

"I've gotta go play hostess," she said, going up the back steps.

Roxas watched her go, grateful for a new friend.

But he still missed Naminè to death.

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**Well? How did you like it? In your review, tell me how you liked Noelle. ****(If you like her, of course.)****Sora and ****Naminè**** are gonna have some problems later, and Kairi may just find a new love interest. But only time and reviews will tell…**

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